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I’m always up for a good road trip, and more often than not you’ll find me taking that road trip “up north” where everything gets a little more rugged, more grand, a bit more isolated, and during the winter, you can find deeper snow with colder temperatures allowing it to stick around. For snowmobilers, these are all great things, and they are especially true in Northeastern Ontario.
This was particularly true for Cochrane when I hit the road in mid-February. The winter had been a tough one for snowmobilers. It was an El Nino year, with mild weather, wild weather swings and more rain than snow most of the time. I damn near prayed for the snow to fall, while I refreshed the weather page and the OFSC trail map continuously, hoping that the stars would align and that I could ride my local trails. It soon became apparent that a road trip up north was all that I needed.
Leaving the brown wet nether regions of Southern Ontario behind, as I started to drive north, there things started to make sense again. Piles of snow filled the ditches and covered the trees. After a beautiful scenic drive, I found myself in a community snowmobilers dream of.
Cochrane feels as though the city planners asked themselves, how can we design a community that’s perfect for snowmobiling? Access to trails is right outside your hotel door, and you can ride right through town to get your morning cup of coffee, before hitting up endless loops and trails to beautiful locations. After weeks of praying for my local trails further south to open up, this was a literal dream come true.
The Perfect Base Camp
The Best Western Swan Castle Inn ended up being the perfect home base. Offering plenty of parking for a truck and trailer, direct access to trails, a secure area for sleds to be stored and monitored overnight, comfortable rooms, a steam room to soothe your aches and pains, and all within walking distance of the downtown amenities and restaurants. I especially enjoyed the proximity to the Railway Cafe across the street, which had great food and a beautiful atmosphere. The cafe is in the beautiful old train station that serves the Ontario Northland Railway. Cochrane is a hub of activity both for adventure seekers, but it also serves as a great hub for transportation, service, and retail locations. There’s just a lot going on, which is great. You can access all the amenities you need, but you’re right next to all the adventures that the north has to offer.
Exploring the Trails
Cochrane is ideal for staging a bunch of different trip options, from shorter day trips, to multi-day tours along the Northern Corridor. You can read more about the plethora of touring options here, which include 3 of Ontario’s best feature loops. The Polar Bear Riders Snowmobile Club do an incredible job maintaining the trail system which connects through several other communities and even into Quebec.
Personally though, I had one loop at top of mind when I booked the trip, the Abitibi Canyon Loop, which should be on every snowmobilers bucket list. The loop is legendary for its breathtaking scenery. A nice mix of forested trails, with long open stretches, especially on the western side, where you can really let the throttle out. The canyon is also known for reliably holding onto decent snow conditions. More often than not, the trail guide will show Abitibi Canyon in green (i.e. open) while other areas are still patiently waiting for the next snowfall. Head north, my friends.
When doing the loop, you’ll want to plan for a full day’s ride. You may want to bring extra gas with you, or you can stop at the Base Camp Abitibi Canyon to gas up for a premium. They have a nice lounge and some snack and coffee at the ready if you need to take a breather or warm up before beginning the home stretch.
There are many other great riding options as well. For a shorter loop south of town, head to the L103 trail which accesses some backcountry lakes and crosses the Frederick House River Bridge at the stunning Zeverly Rapids for a nice scenic photo opportunity.
Unique Must-See Attractions
There are not many towns, in fact only ONE in the world (!) that can say they are home to a dedicated polar bear rescue and research facility. The not-for-profit Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat is dedicated to the care of polar bears that can’t otherwise survive alone in the wild, and it offers a large 24-acre natural habitat where researchers can come from all over the world to study. As an added bonus, visitors can watch and appreciate three resident bears doing their thing from either outside the fence or from inside the learning centre, which features underwater views if you’re lucky enough to catch the bears swimming. This incredible unique facility is open 7 days a week, all year round. I was not really prepared for the sheer size and beauty of the bears up close. I was lucky enough to catch one of the bears, Inukshuk, during his lunch, as well as another bear (Henry) as he dug into a giant block of ice with frozen grapes inside.
Another bonus, Ontario’s only dedicated snowmobile museum is right next door! The Cochrane Classic Vintage Riders Club & Museum showcases 100+ machines from the 1950’s on, along with classic gear and other displays, and if you’re lucky enough to chat with executive member Dan Girard, I promise you’re in for a treat. He was chock full of great anecdotes about almost every sled in the place, and his enthusiasm was infectious. In typical Cochrane fashion, the Museum and Polar Bear Habitat are both accessible by snowmobile trail.
You’re Gonna Work up an Appetite
Perhaps it’s unsurprising to find out that a town with world-class snowmobile trails and attractions also features incredible dining. The vibe around town reminds me of the apres-ski nightlife in the Rocky Mountains where I grew up. Much like those mountains lodges of my youth, it felt like everyone had travelled here in search of some big adventure, and after a day on the trails, they gather around the hearth to trade stories about shenanigans and sights seen that day. You’ll hear about the moose that blocked them on the trail, or perhaps the close call with a family of bobcats. And it helps to have a great plate of BBQ and a craft beer in front of you while trading your embellishments.
Enter JR’s BBQ Ranch, where I enjoyed a fantastic plate of ribs after completing the Abitibi Canyon Loop. I rode straight off the blustery trail and into the parking lot next to a few other sleds, and felt right at home exaggerating my adventures from that day. 49th Parallel also fit the bill, and was a short walk from my hotel, with a nice big bar to cozy up to and watch a game. I also really enjoyed the aforementioned Railway Cafe for a nice coffee, breakfast, or lunch in a beautiful setting. A much more comprehensive list of dining options is available here.
Everything is Right There
The thing about Cochrane that stood out the most for me was just how accessible it is by snowmobile. The town has completely embraced and capitalized on its reputation as a snowmobiling destination. With trails fully integrated into town, you only need to offload the sled once when you arrive, or you can just ride into town from any one of the other neighbouring communities along the OFSC trail system.
When I rolled into town and saw people ice fishing and snowmobiling across a lake right in the middle of town, I knew I was in someplace special, and my weekend snowmobiling in and around Cochrane from thereon was nothing short of spectacular. From the welcoming atmosphere of the community, to the thrilling rides, the unique attractions, and just the overall vibes, which can be described as adventurous, fun, and welcoming - they encourage the braap up here! Everyone is just excited to share in what the place has to offer.
Whether you're an experienced snowmobiler or a newcomer to the sport, Cochrane offers something for everyone. The community's dedication to providing a top-notch snowmobiling experience is evident in the quality of the trails and the amenities available. I can't wait to return for another round of snow-filled fun in this Northern Ontario paradise. If you haven't experienced Cochrane yet, it's time to rev up your sled and discover what makes this town a snowmobiler's dream.
